This invention relates to gunnel rails on boats, motor homes and the like, and in particular to a tool which installs, locks and removes resilient and compressible bumper materials into the gunnel rail channels on the sides of boats, motor homes, and the like, and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/116,165 filed Jan. 15, 1999.
Gunnel rails and rub rails have been used over the years on boats to join hulls and decks together, where the gunnel rails have resilient materials inserted within their channels. See for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,065,724 to Tritt; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,292,913 to Siebert et al. Other similar bumper assemblies have been proposed for vehicles, docks, and the like, that also use similar expandible resilient material inserts inside of channels. See for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,473,836 to Halter.
A basic problem with these assemblies is an installer having to insert the resilient material into the gunnel rail channels. Typically, in the boating industry, an installer uses multiple tools such as screwdrivers, hammer, pliers, hand spade, putty knives, duck-bill pliers, and the like, to bang and push the resilient insert material into the channels. This current method is both time consuming and an expensive project in labor costs for the installation. These installation techniques cause scrapes, bumps, dents and tears in the insert material. Additionally, these installation tools damage the channels and surrounding surfaces on the boats and vehicles. Under these conventional types of installation, the insert material strips must be heated to soften the material for use. The strip materials are generally heated in hot boxes or within hot water tanks. After the strip material is heated, it is then installed with the tools described above. Problems occur from these heating techniques. The heating and subsequent cooling of the materials causes non-uniform shrinkage and inconsistent expansion throughout the strip material within the gunnel rail channels resulting in unsightly bulges and depressions. Furthermore, the installers have received injuries such as damaged hands and workmen""s compensation claims through the installation process. The above problems become compounded when the resilient insert materials need to be removed and replaced over time due to natural wear and use.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,897,967 to Barenyi describes a xe2x80x9cprotective strip for motor vehicles . . . xe2x80x9d, title that uses resilient bumpers with backings having expandible plug inserts that pass into recesses in the base walls of the channels. However, this reference requires multiple parts and extra tooling of parts that would not be a practical substitute for existing gunnel rails and rub rails on boats, vehicles, and the like.
Other techniques known for inserting resilient bumper strips into channels have included machines. See for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,758,400 to Miller et al. However, this type of machine would not be a practical alternative for a single user that needs to install the resilient insert bumpers into gunnel rails and rub rails that are already located on the sides of boats, vehicles, and the like. Clearly, this machine would be both expensive in cost and is incapable of being used for already mounted gunnel rails and rub rails.
Other proposals have been made but also fail to overcome the problems described above. See for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,084,533 to Boyer and U.S. Pat. No. 4,903,629 to Mauldin et al.
The first objective of the present invention is to provide a tool to allow a single person the capability of installing and removing resilient bumper insert materials into gunnel rail/rub rails on the side of boats, vehicles, and the like.
The second object of this invention is to provide an inexpensive technique of installing and removing resilient bumper insert materials into gunnel rails/rub rails already located on the sides of boats, vehicles, and the like.
The third object of this invention is to provide a technique of installing and removing resilient bumper insert materials inside of gunnel rails/rub rails that does not mark up, scrape, dent, nor destroy the resilient bumper insert material.
The fourth object of this invention is to provide a technique of installing and removing resilient bumper insert materials into gunnel rails/rub rails, without marking up, scraping, denting nor destroying the gunnel rails/rub rails.
The fifth object of this invention is to provide a technique of installing and removing resilient bumper insert materials into gunnel rails/rub rails, without injuring the installer.
A preferred embodiment of the invention includes a handheld tool for inserting resilient bumpers into the channels on gunnel rails and rub rails that are located on the sides of vehicles such as boats, motor homes and trailers. The handheld tool has a first end for a handgrip and a second end with a rotatable rollers and wheels, where the second end is laid over the front portion of the elongated resilient strip and causes the rear portion of the elongated strip to be inserted into the channels on the side of the vehicles. Each of the channels have a rear wall for being attached to the side of the vehicle, and inwardly bending lips for surrounding an opening to the channel, wherein the rear portion of the elongated resilient strip is inserted into the opening of the channel. The elongated resilient strips have a backwall forming the rear portion, the backwall having an upper edge and a lower edge, wherein the upper edge and the lower edge become compressed towards one another when being inserted within the channel and expand when the rollers of the handheld tool passes over the channel. The rotatable wheels and rollers on the second end of the handheld tool have dual rollers separated from one another, wherein the rear portion of the elongated resilient strip is compressed together by the strip passing through the dual rollers. Each of the dual rollers has an indentation groove running about the perimeters thereof. The second end of the tool further includes nut heads connected to gearwheels, wherein rotating the nut head rotates the gear wheels causing both dual rollers to rotate. A socket wrench can be used for fitting about the nut heads, wherein rotating the socket wrench rotates the wheels and causes strip material to be pulled through the wheels while simultaneously being compressed. The user simultaneously holds the tool against the channel openings of the gunnel rails and rub rails and slides the tool against the gunnel rails/rub rails at a tilt angle of approximately 30 degrees to the gunnel rails/rub rails, while rotating the socket wrench causing the strip material to be inserted into the channel openings. After the tool passes over a gunnel rail/rub rail section, portions of the strip material expand into the inside lip portions of the gunnel rail/rub rail locking the strip material in place.
The strip material can be removed by prying up an edge of the material from the channel of the gunnel rail/rub rail, and using the tool reversing the installation steps described above.
The gunnel rails/rub rails with resilient bumpers can be used with other objects such as but not limited to tables, shelves, walls, and the like.
Further objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of a presently preferred embodiment which is illustrated schematically in the accompanying drawings.